Let $a$ and $b$ be the roots of the quadratic equation $2x^2 - 7x + 2 = -x^2 + 4x + 9.$ Find $\frac{1}{a+7}+\frac{1}{b+7}.$
Simplify:
3x^2 - 11x - 7 = 0
Finding the roots by plugging in the values a = 3, b = -11, and c = -7 into the quadratic equation \(x = {-b \pm \sqrt{b^2-4ac} \over 2a}\), we get:
x = \(\frac { \sqrt{205} + 11}{6}\), x = \(\frac { -\sqrt{205} + 11}{6}\)
We now have that a = \(\frac { \sqrt{205} + 11}{6}\) and b = \(\frac { -\sqrt{205} + 11}{6}\).
Plugging in these values for the expression \(\frac{1}{a+7}+\frac{1}{b+7}\), we get:
\(\frac{1}{\frac { \sqrt{205} + 11}{6}+7}+\frac{1}{\frac { -\sqrt{205} + 11}{6}+7}\)
Simplifying this expression, we get:
\(\frac{1}{\frac { \sqrt{205} + 53}{6}}+\frac{1}{\frac { -\sqrt{205} + 53}{6}}\)
Removing the 6 and multiplying 1 by the reciprocal of \({\frac { \sqrt{205} + 53}{6}}\), we get:
\(\frac{6}{ \sqrt{205} + 53}+\frac{6}{ -\sqrt{205} + 53}\)
We can plug each of these terms in the calculator to get
\(0.089 + 0.155\)
Adding these two values, we get:
\(0.244\)
Answer: 0.244
\($\frac{1}{a+7}+\frac{1}{b+7}.$ \)
Simplify as
3x^2 -11x -7 = 0
We have the form mx^2 + nx + c = 0
m =3 , n = -11 c = -7
Product of roots = ab = c/m = -7/3
Sum of roots =
a + b = -n/m = 11/3
1/ (a + 7) + 1 /(b + 7) =
[ a + 7 + b + 7 ] / [ (a + 7) (b + 7) ] =
[ a + b + 14 ] / [ ab + 7 (a + b) + 49 ] =
[ 11/3 + 14 ] / [ -7/3 + 7(11/3) + 49 ] =
[ 53/3 ] / [ 217 /3 ] =
53 / 217